Dry dock



A. J. BROWN AND J. J. DAVIES, JR.

DRY DOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. I920.

Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- war/mow A. 1. BROWN AND I. J. DAVIES, JR. DRY DOCK.

APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 7, 1920.

1,410,243. Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

A. J. BROWN AND J. J. DAVIES, JR.

. DRY DOCK. APPLICATION FILED-JULY 7, I920.

1,410,243. I Patnted Mar. 21, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. J. BROWN AND J. J. DAVIES, in.

DRY DOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1920.

' 1,410,243. Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4;

l (4' V W 19 Ill III" 1 Mil HI Ill UNITED STATES ALBERT J. BROWN AND JOHN J. DAVIES,

an, or PHILADELPHIA, rmmsrnvnmn.

DRY nocx.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 271 1922.

Application filed July '7, 1920. Serial No. 394,562.

To (M6 whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALBERT J. BROWN and JoI-iN J. DAVIES, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennylvania, have invented certain new and use.

ful Improvements in Dry-Docks, of which the following is a specification.

One object of our invention is to provlde an improved drydock which can be operated by fluid pressure, such as hydraulic or water pressure,to raise a boat bodily from the water to the necessary height to enable IGPQ-HS to be conveniently made below its water line.

Another object is to so construct the dock of our invention that it will be of a strong practical character.

These objects, and other advantageousends which will be described hereinafter, we attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of our improved dock, 4

Figure 2 is an end elevation, partly in section, and showing our improved dock in an inoperative position ready to raise a boat, 1

Figure 3 is an end elevation showing the boat having been raised,

Figure 4: is an enlarged fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing certain of the features of our invention,

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4:, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of certain of the features shown in Figure 4- Referring to the drawings, the dock 7 is constructed of a structural steel frame work 8 including transversely extending girders 9. These girders are spaced apart throughout the length of the frame work and are supported by solid steel plungers 10 which fit within hydraulic pipe casings 11; said casings resting upon a concrete foundation 12 and being tied together by structural steel bracing 13. As illustrated each of the girders 9 has two plungers 10 depending therefrom into respective casings 11 and the bottoms of the casings 11 are connected together by longitudinally extending headers or manifolds 14; the manifolds being joined by transversely extending nipples 15. The dock 7 is positioned between longitudinally extending side walls 16; saidside walls being preferably made of a concrete construction and towering to the entire height of the dock when the latter is in its elevated position. The deck 7 is adapted to slide upwardly and downwardly between steel rails 17 which are anchored in the concrete wall 16 at spaced distances apart; thesides of the dock having rail guides 18 slidablyembracing the rails 17 as clearly shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Housings 19 are supported at each side of the dock upon the girders9 and have inner opposed surfaces .20 which curve downwardly to a keel supporting member 21 which extends longitudinally of the dock and is provided with a central groove22.

Conduits 23 in the form of pipes, telescopically slide at their lower .end portions within pipe casings 24;said pipecasings 24 being secured below the girders 9 toltheconcrete foundationby being strapped or otherwise held to the side walls 9. The upper ends of the conduits23 extendxwithin therhousings 19 and have branches 25extending laterally therefrom in the form of plunger casings which slant slightly upwardas clearly shown in Figures 2, 3 and L Laterally extending plunger arms 26 slidably extend-throughthe curved surfaces 20 ofthe housings 19 into the plunger casings :25;-said plunger arms havin pressure plates 27 adapted to be move into engagement with the outer sur-.

face of the hull of the boat as illustrated in Figure 3. As illustrated each ofthe housings contains three plunger casings 25 ar-- ranged at different levels; each of said cos 7 ings- 25 having a laterally extending plunger arm 26 slidable therein sothat said pressure plates will engage the outer surface of the hull at different levels. Each of the plunger casings 25 includes a gatevalve 28 having a by-pass valve 29 in connection therewith for a purpose hereinafter described.

The lower ends of the pipe casings 24 connect with longitudinally extending headers 30 and the headers 30 are connected by nipples or transversely extending pipes 31.

A main feed pipe 32 which may lead from accumulator tanksforcontaining the pressure fluid leads downwardly at the Xtreme water end ofthe dock to the bottom where it joins with one oftheheaders 14-; said main feed pipe includinga hydraulically operated gate valve "33 and "a safety check valve 34; said check valve being positioned between the hydraulically operated gate after described. In similar valve and the accumulator tank; said ac cumulator tank not being illustrated in the drawings. The hydraulically operated gate valve 33 which may be of any desirabletype also includes a bypass valve 35 which may be open .under certain conditions, hereinmanner an auxiliary feed pipe 36 leads from said accumulator tanks and communicates with one of the headers 30; said auxiliary pipe 36 including a hydraulically operated gate valve 37 and a by-pass valve 38. A boat, such as the boat illustrated at 39. which is docked and raised out of the water for the purpose ot'repairing the same, can-be moved in between the walls 16 as shown in Figure 3 so to be positioned over the cradle or space between the curved surfaces 20 of the housing-s 19. Pressure fluid is admitted into the casings 11 by operating the valve 33 and the pressure/fluid will serve to raise the plungers 10 and consequently the dock between the sidewallslti; When the dock reaches "a height so that the. keel of the boat will engage within the groove 22 of the keel supporting member 21, the tops of the housings 19 will be in aposition out of the water and if desired the valves 28 can be opened to cause the pressure fluid which is admitted through thevalve 37 to move the plunger arms 26 so that the plates 27 will engage the outer sidesurfaces of the'boat 39. A continued upward movement of the dock will then lift the boat completely out of the water as clearly shown in Figure 3 and any necessary repairs may be made.

If itis' desired any one of the plunger arms can be released by closing the respective valve 28 and .openingthe by-pass valve 29 to permit escape ofthe pressure fluid between the valve 28 and said plunger arm 26. The latter will thenslide inwardly and in tl1is' mann'er the various plunger arms can be controlled from time to time if the repair necessitates that certain of the arms 26 must bemoved away from the hull 27.

When it is desired to again lower the boat into the water the various by-passvalves 29 can be opened as can alsothe by-pass valves 35 and 38 and the dock-will gradually descend until the boat floatsin the water.

The check valves 34 merely act as safety means against back pressure and the dock may be supported in its raised position-tor any desired time. Itwill be noted that the plunger ca'sings 25 telescopically slide within but always keep in communication with the pressure fluidin the pipe casings 24;.

.. If it is desired instead of making the Y pressure plates 27 integralwith the plunger arms 26 they may be made with a knuckle connection and in Figure 6 I have illustrated the pressure plates at 27 p in knuckle connection with the plunger arms 26 so that if there is any slight movement necessary in order that the pressure plates properly contact with the side of the boat, these plates 27* can slightly move to the limit prescribed by the knuckle connection.

While we have described our invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts of our inven tion may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence we do not limit ourselves to the precise construction set forth, but consider that we are at liberty to make such changes and. alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A dock having a portion adapted to serveas a. support for a boat, said dock being movable upwardly and downwardly; laterally arranged plunger casings on said dock; a supporting structure; plunger arms in said casings; a conduit for pressure fluid, said conduit being made in telescopically slidable sections secured respectively to the supporting structure and to the dock, the section which is secured to the dock being in communication with said plunger casings; nd means for supplying pressure fluid to the section which is secured to said supporting structure whereby pressure fluid can be supplied to said plunger casings,' to move said arms, irrespective of the position of said dock; substantially as described.

2.-A dock having a portion providing a cradle formed by housings which are opposed to each other, said dock being movable upwardly and downwardly; laterally arranged plunger casings within said housings; a supporting structure; plunger arms in said casings; a conduit for pressure fluid; said conduit being made in telescopically slidable sections secured respectively to the supporting structure and to the dock, the section which is secured to the dock being in communication with said plunger casings; and means for supplying pressure fluid to the section which is secured to the supporting structure whereby pressure fluid can be supplied to said plunger casings, to move said arms, irrespective of the position of said dock; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT J. BROWN. JOHN J. DAVIES, JR. 

